1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for regulating the speed of a motor vehicle, the apparatus being equipped with an object detection system, and in which the reference speed is determined as a function of at least one preceding vehicle in the evaluation region of the object detection system.
2. Description of Related Art
Published German patent document DE 196 37 245 discloses a method and an apparatus for regulating the speed of a vehicle in consideration of preceding vehicles. In order to select a preceding vehicle as a regulation target, a future driving path profile is determined. In the context of an intended and/or incipient lane change by the regulated vehicle, the determined future driving path is widened.
As a result, in the context of an intended lane change, vehicles in the lane alongside are also taken into consideration; incorrect reactions by the speed regulator often occur because consideration is given to vehicles in the adjacent lane that, however, result in incorrect reactions because of their great distance from the regulated vehicle, which reactions are not comprehensible to, and therefore inconvenient for, the driver.